The Great Change Chapter 1
by ThreeFacedMelissa
Summary: In a AU a great change has occurred, The trolls don't live in hives anymore, many trolls are missing with no trace, the planet is almost in ruins and a mysterious new Empress has ceased control of everything, looming above the remaining few trolls left. The story Follows Nepeta as she discovers dark secrets, and is thrown into a terrifying situation from which there is no escape.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: The Secret**

Nepeta woke up in her compound, ever since The Great Change Alternians didn't live in hives anymore, their compounds were gray rooms, decorated with only a few small items of their own choice, in her case they were things like some yarn balls and a few other objects. but nothing that could be used to liven up the room such as paint, those were banned after The Great Change too.

Nepeta decided the best way to have fun is to go visit Karkat. She doesn't see Equius anymore, so Karkat was the only joy in her life. She sprinted out of her compound and dashed to his compound. Karkat's was a very long way off, all the compounds had been separated to make interaction difficult and even with the separation Karkat's was the furthest of all the three others in her area. But Nepeta never cared. The mutant blooded troll was her only joy in this otherwise dull life and she had to visit him at least once a day. The journey was always worth it for her. She finally reached Karkat's compound, feeling fairly winded, She breathed heavily. She was really tired, but it was all worth it in the name of her best friend. She went and knocked on the compound door. Karkat answer the door.

"Hi Nepeta," he greeted.

Karkat had become considerably nicer towards his friends since The Great Change.

"Hi Karkitty!" Nepeta said.

She liked the new Karkat, how he was nice to her and such. But she actually missed the old him more. She missed Equius telling her not to hang out with him, then Karkat walking in then a fight would happen. She missed that time the most.

"How've you been?" He asked opening the door wide to let her in.

"Good! Well, as good as things get here. You?" She walked in.

"Same as you," He said.

Karkat's compound was pretty empty, as it had been before the great change, having only a few black and white movie posters, his recoopracoon and his big black book. The olive blooded troll looked around, not really expecting anything new. But she didn't know what else to say. They had talked the day before about a lot of things so.

"I wish it wasn't so dull around here, I often wonder what is up with this affinity of dullness we've been subjected to," Karkat admitted.

"Same." Nepeta sighed. "I really miss Equius, I haven't seen him since this all started. I hope he's okay."

Karkat got a bit of a guilty look in his eye but quickly tried to get rid of it, hoping Nepeta didn't see.

"I'm sure he's fine," Karkat reassured.

Nepeta didn't notice. She was pretty observant, and noticed A LOT of things usually, but when thinking about Equius all she could do was just that, think. Her memories of Equius were like a pool for her to drown herself in.

"I hope so." she said in almost a whisper.

Karkat was thankful she hadn't noticed, he knew more about the situation than he let on, but didn't dare tell Nepeta for the truth of it would probably destroy her.

"Well, uh, how about we go for a walk- or something?" Nepeta suggested.

Karkat nodded, glad to get off the subject of Equius' disappearance. she opened the door for Karkat.

"Thanks" He said, walking out.

Nepeta shut the door and smiled. "Welcome!"

The Cancer and Leo trolls walked around, the nice grassy areas around where Karkat's hive used to be were reduced to charred patches of ground and dead grass, all the other hives in his lawn ring had been destroyed and pieces of their structure littered the ground. Nothing was beautiful anymore. Nothing was right anymore. Nepeta shivered a bit, looking out at the skeleton of a once beautiful land.

Karkat looked at her. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Nepeta tried her best to smile.

"You sure?" He asked concerned.

"Yes." Nepeta lied.

"Alright," He said continuing the walk.

"Anywhere specific you want to walk to?" He asked.

"How about Equius' hive?"

"Alright," He replied. They started heading toward Equius' hive, It was a much longer trip then from Nepeta's compound to Karkat's and they had to cross Feferi's ocean, which had practically dried up ever since the great change, leaving only a bit of water near the center.

Nepeta watched everything, trying to remember the world before this.

"You miss the old world too?" He asked, noticing the look in her eye.

"A lot." She sighed.

"Me too," He agreed.

As they walk we see The hives of Feferi, Eridan, and Gamzee, for whatever reason they, among a few others, had been left untouched when the other hives had been destroyed to build compounds, but the areas around them had still been reduced to barren wastelands, Karkat knew it was just to remind them who were left of the disappearances the olive blood looked at all of them. She was struck with sadness. She missed everything and everyone, Karkat looked at Gamzee's hive with sadness and guilt, he would've hung his head and broken to the ground crying and screaming if Nepeta hadn't been with him. Nepeta felt the sadness within Karkat. She slowly took his hand and squeezed it lightly. That's the best of comfort she could give him.

Karkat looked at her and smiled a bit, "Come on, let's keep going," He said.

Nepeta looked ahead and kept finally reached Equius' hive, She could see that Vriska's hive was also still standing. She looked at it. A little tear rolled down her cheek. She had no idea why she had want to come here. It brought back way too memories that was too much for her to handle.

Karkat looked at her, "Are you okay Nepeta, do you want to leave?" He asked.

She shook her head and smiled. "It's just all the memories."

He rested a hand on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. "At least you have them right?" He said.

She nodded. She's glad for her memories. She's also glad Karkat was there with her.

"One way, that I get through keeping the memories of Gamzee and knowing that he's missing, is by thinking this, if somebody offered me the choice to rid myself of the burden of sadness by ridding of the memories, would I choose to? No, I wouldn't, because just remembering we were once friends, makes me feel happy, and one day, the idea that he's missing, won't be able to hurt me, because he's not truly gone as long as I remember him,"

Nepeta smiled. "That's great thinking Karkitty!"

Karkat smiled back. "Thanks, do you feel better now?"

"Yep!" She told him.

"Anything else you wanna do here or should we head back?" He asked.

"I think we should head back now."

"Okay," Karkat agreed as they headed back.

Nepeta took one last look at the hive and then she followed Karkat home. As they arrived at Karkat's house he turned to her,

"See you tomorrow?" He asked.

"Right!" She said, waving and walking to her compound.

As she walked back toward her compound she realized Karkat didn't invite her in for a snack, something he did everyday. She stopped. That was not usual of Karkat. She quickly ran back to his compound. When she returned she didn't notice anything too unusual, except some rather large foot prints but she sort of shrugged it off. She wanted to make sure Karkat was fine, her thoughts focused only on that. She ran to the compound door and knocked. But there was no answer, confused she knocked again, still nothing. Nepeta began to shove against the door, trying to open it. With a mighty shove the door opened, but the room was completely void of life. Nepeta was shocked. How could that have happened? Then she remembered the big footprints. She began to follow them. But nothing could have prepared Nepeta for what she would find at the end of the trail, nothing at all.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Secrets Revealed

The big footprints lead away from Karkat's hive toward the dried up lake, the charred dried up ground let up dust as Nepeta walked across, she soon found the foot prints toward Kanaya's old hive. This really perked her curiousity, the once lush areas around Kanaya's hive were now lifeless and dried up. As Nepeta crossed through she soon found the footprints went past Kanaya's hive, out of the old ocean, and toward a point Karkat had forbid her from crossing, he had told her beyond this point was something that was too horrific to bare, from the border all she could see was bare hills obscuring her view of what was there.

But Nepeta didn't care, she had to know Karkat was okay. She crossed the point she'd been told marked horror, but as she reached the top of the hill she saw something she hadn't seen in forever...

PLANTS!

The areas were lush and green, just like the areas of Alternia used to be Nepeta gaped in awe as she followed the footprints into the hidden land. As she ventured further she saw a giant dam, holding back Feferi's ocean.

"Water..." She silently said. She hasn't seen much of that in awhile.

As she walked even further she saw many natural marvels she had missed since the great change, she wondered why Karkat had forbidden her from this beautiful place, was there something wrong with it? She couldn't think what it could be.

Finally she saw a large dark forest in the distance surrounded by culling drones. Nepeta froze in horror, this is probably why he told her not to come, the culling drones might kill her...

She noticed the footprints leading to the forest. She looked, indecision swarming her mind. Should she keep going? Would she risk being culled? Yes. She would. She heard rumors the Culling Drones never killed without orders from the new Empress. She always wondered who the new Empress was, and what happened to the last Empress and Feferi...

Nepeta just knew whoever it was, they probably had Karkat, and she wouldn't stand for that, she looked around for the best way to sneak in, but couldn't find a place not swarmed by culling drones, she tried to sneak silently and quickly, put as she ran she felt herself being lift by her shirt scruff, she realized she'd been caught. She freaked out, thrashing, punching, screaming, desperately trying everything to escape the Drone's grasp, but it was no use.

She is carried through the dark forest, thick trees looming ominously, suddenly they reaches the largest of all the trees, looking up to the arch of the tree sits a huge fortress, the type that one might expect from a blue blood. Nepeta stared at it in horror, realizing this is most likely the new Empresses fabled fortress.

The Drone carried her into the fortress and down a staircase to the dark damp dungeon and restrained her wrists with some shackles mounted to the wall. "You will stay here until the Empress is ready to see you," The Drone told her darkly, he ascended the staircase closing the door leaving the room in total darkness and silence leaving Nepeta to struggle in her bonds.

"Nepeta? Is that you?" Nepeta heard someone ask hoarsely from the other side of the dungeon, she could tell it wasn't Karkat, it was a female voice and she was unable to see who it was because the other person was hidden in the gloom.

"W-who are you?" Nepeta asked, worried.

"It's me, Aradia," The voice replies.

"A-Aradia?! What are you doing here?!" she asked bewildered.

"The Empress has had me locked up here ever since The Great Change," Aradia explains.

"Why?"

"Because I'm one of the lowest of low bloods," She stated sadly.

"But that's not right!" Nepeta protested.

"Try telling that to her.." Aradia sighed.

"Who is "she"?" Nepeta whispered.

"You'll meet her soon enough," Aradia spoke in almost a whisper.

Nepeta went silent.

"What did you do to end up in here anyways?" Aradia asks.

She explained everything, Visiting Karkat, his disappearance, her trek into the forbidden land, the culling drones, everything. Aradia went silent now, not uttering a single word in response.

"A-Aradia?" Nepeta said, feeling spooked by the silence.

"Yes?" Aradia answered.

"You just kind of went silent there." Nepeta pointed out.

"Oh, ya, it's nothing," Aradia said quietly.

"Okay..." Nepeta responded.

Nepeta heard the thundering steps of the culling drone returning, The drone came and unshackled her.

"The Empress will see you now" it says.

"What if I don't want to see her?" Nepeta challenged, staring at the drone.

"Then you will be Culled," The Culling drone threatened.

"Fine." Nepeta walked with drone.

The Drone led her to the double doors and motioned for her to go in. As she walks through the double doors she discovers a huge throne room, The first thing Nepeta notices is a huge white dragon with piercing red eyes. Nepeta stares into the dragons eyes, frightened. Nepeta hears a voice come from the throne,

"Down my pet," With that, the dragon settles down and lays on the floor. Nepeta looked in the direction of the voice and was shocked at who she saw.

It was Terezi, with her RedGlare cane, a teal cape and a wicked grin, she sat on the throne looking at Nepeta.

"Terezi?!" She gasped.

Terezi got up so she may glance down at Nepeta. "EXPECTING SOMEONE ELSE?" She asked grinning strangely.

"I-I didn't know who to expect!" Nepeta stammered.

"I CAN'T SAY I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE YOU HERE TODAY" Terezi admitted.

Nepeta suddenly remembered why she was here. "Where's Karkitty?!"

"Oh YOU'LL SEE HIM SOON, BUT FIRST, OHH THRESHECUTIONER!" Terzezi calls.

Nepeta nervously looked at Terezi.

Through another set of doors on the other side of the chamber, Footsteps are heard, "Yes Mistress Ter-..." The voice went quiet as the figure stopped between Nepeta and Terezi .

Nepeta stared in disbelief, she was to shocked to say anything, the troll in front of her, sickle in hand, was Karkat.


	3. Chapter 3

A Look at the Past

Nepeta looked at him, her eyes wide and her heart pained, Karkat worked for Terezi and never told her? Or never even told her Terezi was behind this? She couldn't believe he'd hide something so serious. did he know anything else? like where all their friends who disappeared went? where Equius went?

Karkat stared at her, wide eyed and mouth agape, his eyes are full of guilt and horror.

"K-Karkat?...What are you doing here? Why did Terezi call you her Threshicutioner? Why didn't you tell me about this? ALL of this!" Nepeta wept, her voice coming out in a whine.

Karkat didn't reply, he simply looked at Nepeta then looked at Terezi, a pleading, questioning look in his eyes. Nepeta followed his gaze resting it on Terezi smirking with twisted amusement from her chair.

"Don't worry my dear Karkat, I will not make you kill her," Terezi answered the silently asked question in a eerily pleasant voice.

Nepeta's eyes widened and her heart dropped. kill her?! Karkat gave a sigh of relief but Nepeta was frantic. What was going to happen to her?!

Terezi looked at the two. "TAKE HER HOME KARKAT, YOU ARE RELIVED OF DUTY FOR TODAY," she commanded dismissing the two.

Karkat gave a small bow. "Yes ma'm.." He replied turning to Nepeta.

Nepeta was more nervous than she would admit, sure Terezi had dismissed them, but would something still happen to her? Karkat seemed loyal to her..loyal enough to kill her? Nepeta hated the thought, but she had to hope Karkt's first loyalty was to her, reluctantly against all her better judgement she followed Karkat. Karkat lead Nepeta out of the Throneroom and didn't say a word, or answer anything she said till they were out of the forest. Nepeta asked a lot of questions, she needed answers even if the answer would hurt.

"One question at a time please Nepeta.." Karkat said glancing at her as they walked.

"Why were you there?!"

"I'm Her Tyranny's Threshacutioner" Karkat said simply.

"Who?"

"The Theshacutioner, you know, one of the most lethal members of the empresses army," Karkat explained.

"W-wait... You're one of them?..."

"It wasn't my choice!" Karkat said snapping at her, then he calmed down a bit, "Sorry," He said apologizing for yelling.

"It's fine... But... What exactly happened?"

"It was the day The Great Change actually occurred I was in my hive when all of a sudden Terezi knocked at the door in that get up she was just wearing"

Karkat had answered the door after hearing a forceful knock, Terezi stood with her RedGlare cane and a teal cape.

"HELLO KARKAT," She said grinning madly.

"UH HI TEREZI, WHAT'RE YOU DOING HERE AN WHAT'S WITH THE OUTFIT?"

"I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU STILL HAVE INTERESTED IN BEING A THRESHACUTIONER," she explained.

"WELL OF COURSE, IT'S ONLY MY LIFE DREAM WHY?" Karkat asked, confused at the sudden question and odd manner in which Terezi was acting.

"WELL HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE ONE NOW?" Terezi offered.

"YOU MEAN FOR LIKE ONE OF YOUR SCALEMATE LARPS? NO THANKS," Karkat said, not taking her seriously in the slightest.

"NO I MEAN FOR REAL KARKAT," she stated.

"RIIIGHT, AND HOW WOULD *I* BECOME A THRESHACUTIONER RIGHT NOW? I'M NOT EVEN MATURE ENOUGH TO LEAVE MY LUSUS YET, NO EMPRESS WOULD LET ME BE A THRESHACUTIONER," Karkat said, rolling his eyes.

"I WOULD" She said grinning.

"BUT *YOU'RE* NOT THE EMPRESS," karkat said dryly.

"AREN'T I?" she said, in a moment she was holding up Feferi's decapitated head, Karkat felt sick as the royal magenta blood dripped onto his floor.

"YOU'RE INSANE!" he said backing away a bit, his expression panicked.

"BE THAT AS IT MAY, IT'S EITHER JOIN ME, OR I'LL FINALLY BE ABLE TO SMELL THAT WONDERFUL CHERRY RED BLOOD OF YOURS" terezi threatened.

"And so against my will, I agreed..." Karkat said finishing his story his eyes haunted.

Nepeta stood, still trying to process the story, but than something dawned on her.

"Wait... So... Feferi died... So that means..." Why hadn't she have seen it before? Terezi killed the highbloods to get power. Equius was a highblood...


	4. Chapter 4

Karkat knew she had come to the realization, he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Nepeta..are you alright?" he asked. Nepeta was simply frozen, she was more in shock then anything, she just stood there, trying to sort through her own mind.

Karkat stood in silence watching nepeta, looking for any sign that she was going to get over the shock.  
Nepeta finally collapsed, falling on her knees, this is one of the first times she's cried she didn't even cry when Equius disappeared, she thought he'd be back.

Karkat leaned down beside her and hugged her, for once, he cried too. Nepeta's crying didn't stop, the revelation of Equius' death was too much, All her hope was gone.

Karkat stopped crying. "Nepeta, I'm so sorry, are you going to be okay?"

She lifted her head up. "I'll be fine, Karkat..."

"You sure?" He asked his voice full of concern.

"Yes." She said, standing up. Her face was tear streaked.

"Come on, let's go home," He said as they kept going, Nepeta following along slower.

"Do you have anymore questions?" He asked, willing to tell her everything now. She shook her head, she could barely think, let alone ask questions about what happened.

"Ok.." He said quietly, silently fearing for his friend.

They finally reached Nepeta's compound.

"Night Karkat." She said, turnig to head inside, suddenly he grabbed her arm.

"Nepeta wait, I, just need to warn you, now that you know Terezi's behind this she's probably going to do something, nothing major, but she'll probably get you to do some sort of job." Karkat explained

"Okay, thanks Karkat" Nepeta told him as he let go, she turned and walked inside, Karkat started his journey home.

Nepeta reached bed and began to sob, all her friends were either gone or miserable. She may have even missed Eridan abit. But only abit. All she had left was Tavros, Sollux, and Karkat. Aradia was locked up, Terezi... She didn't even want to think about her. Wait. Kanaya. Where was she? She was a lowblood. Could Terezi have killed her too?  
All these questions danced through her head but finally Nepeta fell asleep  
When Nepeta opens her eyes, she finds herself not in her compound, but in Terezi's chamber.

( AN: Hi guys, really sorry I haven't updated and that this chapter is short, I hope you like it none the less )


	5. Chapter 5

Nepeta looked up at the throne where Terezi sat, looking down at her. "Hello Lowblood Slime," Terezi sneered.

"Hello Terezi." Nepeta replied mockingly.

"That's Empress to you!" Terezi snapped, Nepeta didn't reply. Terezi glared, then she looked as if she was contemplating something, then ended with a creepy grin. "You know Nepeta, I can tell you much more about what's been going on,I won't hide things from you like he is" She said grinning.

"Like he is? What do you mean?" Nepeta wondered, afraid of what she meant.

"Karkat is still hiding things from you," Terezi said simply.

"What?! He wouldn't!" Nepeta protested.

"He hid all this from you didn't he?" She reminded you.

"Before, yeah, to protect me!" Nepeta argued.

"Well he's still hiding things," She told her.

"L-like what?..." Nepeta asked.

"Would you like me to tell you, or should he?" she offered.

Nepeta thought about this for a moment. She'd feel more comfortable with Karkat, but it'd be sad to relive those memories for him. "I want you to tell me."

"Fine then, But I promise you this, what I'm about to tell you will probably destroy everything you once believed and hold dear to your heart" Terezi warned.

Nepeta was ready. "I'll be fine."

"Karkat killed Equius, He chose to obey me and kill your poor innocent moirail, He had Equius' noble, inky, Indigo blood all over his hands and he hid it from you," Terezi explained.

Nepeta was prepared for anything, but that.

"You monster! You made him do that! You've hurt Karkat and Equius and I can't allow that!" Nepeta lunged at Terezi, only to be blocked by Pyralspite, she was flung to the ground by the great white dragon, who growled at her.

"You're becoming quite a nuisance you know. I might have to do something about that." Terezi growled.

Nepeta went silent, looking up at Terezi, she had no clue what she could do, Terezi was too powerful.

"Hmm, I wonder what use I'd have for a slimeblood pest," She wondered aloud grinning.

Nepeta looked scared, what would Terezi do with her? Would Karkat have to kill her too?!

"What's wrong Nepeta," Terezi chuckled. "Cat got your tounge?" Terezi laughter became maniacal. Nepeta hissed at the cruel mockery.

"Perhaps I could keep you in the dungeon like Aradia? Or perhaps you could serve me? I might even give you to Pyralspite as a snack," She contemplated out loud, grinning, Suddenly a wicked grin spread across Terezi's face. "Follow me," She said getting off her throne. Terezi lead Nepeta to a dark room. She flipped on the lights and the horrific scene of Feferi, Eridan, Gamzee, Equius and Vriska's decapitated heads lining a table flashed in front of Nepeta.

"Your first job is to clean this room, my new lowlood servant," Terezi said grinning evily,

The room was covered in several different blood colors, Nepeta wanted to puke. Gazing around Nepeta took in the different kinds of blood. Azure blood splattered on the wall, violet blood on the floor, purple blood dripped from a table, magenta blood pooling in a corner, Jade blood splattered in small amounts on the wall, some small amounts of teal blood mixed with indigo blood and some cherry red blood. "What are you staring at?" Terezi asked unamused that Nepeta hadn't started cleaning.

"T-the cherry blood..." Nepeta stammered, unable to take her eyes off it.

"Yes what about it?" Terezi wondered flatly.

"Why is it there?" Nepeta pressed.

"That was from along time ago, Actually it was from the day Equius died, He tried to fight back against Karkat and easily caused him to bleed, it was a truly beautiful display" Terezi explained.

Nepeta was horrified, so Karkat really had killed Equius, she was in total disbelief, this situation couldn't get any worse.

"There's also some from when he wasn't preforming his duties," Terezi off handedly commented.

Nepeta was wrong, that was much worse, would Terezi hurt her too if she didn't obey her? She never thought Terezi could be like this, but now she wouldn't put it past her.

"So get on with it!." Terezi coaxed impatiently.

"Where do I start?..." Nepeta asked, unsure.

"Clean up the blood," Terezi commanded.

"With what?" Nepeta procrastinated.

Terezi shrugged. "You figure it out, if it tastes as good as it smells I'd suggest you lick it up like the filthy meowbeast you are," Terezi snickered.

Nepeta wanted to be defiant, or even retort, but that would only lead to being hurt, or even worse, Culled.

"After you're done, you can dispose of those heads, I tire of them," Terezi ordered.

Nepeta felt sick once more, this would be a disgusting job. She was about to look for something to clean with, when Terezi spoke once more.

"Nepeta?" She sounded disoriented, but quickly reclaimed herself, she held her head a bit, as if it was hurting. "I'll be back later, I want this all finshed when I return" she ordered. Terezi left the room, Nepeta waited a moment or two, then followed. Terezi had changed for a moment, Nepeta thought following her might reveal why. Terezi entered the thrown room once more. Pyralspite sat upright, as if expecting her. Pyralspite growled.

"Yes, it happened again, please make it quick" Terezi said, supposedly to Pyralspite. Pyralspite leaned it's head down to meet her gaze, it's eyes glowed red, Terezi seemed mesmerized, when Pyralspite stopped Terezi spoke once more.

"Thank you my pet, that is much better"


End file.
